Each year, we reflect and continue to see the many ways the Lord continues to bless The Raining Season as He works through our children, our staff, and you. 2024 marked fifteen years of The Raining Season. In 2009, we first opened the doors to The Covering, and The Raining Season was born. Our staff has supported and cared for hundreds of vulnerable children in countless ways throughout the years, and for fifteen years, God has been so faithful through it all. This year, we saw our kids excel in education, three teams travel, special events at The Raining Season Preparatory School, many special visitors, and so much more.
Here are some of our favorite highlights from the year.
In February, our first mission team of the year traveled to Sierra Leone. This team was a vision team led by co-founder Jason Rust. As The Raining Season prepares to eventually move to Kono, our February team had the opportunity to visit the future site and community that TRS will call home. While the team was eager to see the land, they also had the opportunity to serve the community. On this visit to Kono, the community welcomed our team, and many leaders from the community spoke and took part in welcoming them. On the visit, the team was able to supply every child with a goodie bag, and each family within the community received food bags filled with rice, vegetables, and palm oil. The team helped package, deliver, and distribute all of the resources within the community.
In late February, five children and five staff members from the Hope Apartment had the opportunity to attend World Hope International’s annual Enable the Children’s Beach Outing. This event invites families and children living with disabilities across Sierra Leone to help strengthen the community, empower families, and reduce the stigma. Approximately two thousand people attended the event in 2024, held at Abeerdeen Beach in Freetown. During their time there, our children and staff enjoyed eating and dancing.
On March 6th, our kids who attend school at Rising Academy participated in their annual Sports Day. Sports Day is held each year as part of the school’s extracurricular activities. Our kids are excited about this special day every year. This is a special day to compete, cheer on their classmates, and have fun. The kids wore matching shirts to distinguish their teams. Our kids were treated to some special fans as our March team was on the ground and able to attend Sports Day.
March also brought our second team of the year to the center. The team, led by Trent Laune, traveled from Nebraska. While many of the team members have supported The Raining Season through sponsorship for many years, they were traveling for the first time. The team spent the week loving and serving our kids and staff. This included playtime, devotions, Sports Day, serving the community, and a trip to the beach for EVERYONE!
The Raining Season Preparatory School organized its first-ever Thanksgiving Service on March 24th. This Thanksgiving service was an opportunity to give thanks for all that the Lord has done and what He will do for The Raining Season Preparatory School. The Thanksgiving service ended with a march from the school to the main Lumley roundabout and back to the school.
In May, The Raining Season Preparatory School hosted its second annual Sports Day. Our school serves more than one hundred thirty children, and many of the children come from the surrounding community. The kids, our staff, and families were excited about this special day and the opportunity to cheer the kids on. The event was held at SS Camp Field in the Hill Station community because we needed room for the kids to run, jump, and compete.
As the school year in Sierra Leone neared the end, ten children from The Raining Season’s Primary School took the National Primary School Examination (NPSE). This test determines their promotion to the next grade level and their eligibility for Junior Secondary School. They received their results in August, and all ten children passed the exam!
June brought our third and final team of the year to the center. The team, led by Ally Currie, included both seasoned travelers and one first-time traveler. The team spent the week playing with the children, participating in devotions, bringing supplies, visiting Freetown Cheshire Home, and a trip to the beach where the team members from Iowa shared the matching t-shirts they brought for the boys they sponsor. The team also had a chance to enjoy a delicious dinner provided by Aunty Marie.
In July, The Raining Season Preparatory School celebrated its first graduation ceremony. Students finishing both Nursery 3 and Grade 6 participated in the ceremony. The ceremony included a processional hymn where all the graduating students marched in their regalia, followed by staff and other guests. The Nursery 3 students recited educational passages, and the Grade 6 students acted out short skits. A guest speaker shared about the graduation theme – Children are a Heritage from the Lord. Finally, there was group dancing by Nursery 3 students, and all the graduates received a certificate of achievement.
As July ended, six children spent two weeks taking the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Passing this exam would allow these six students to promote to senior secondary school. At the end of November, we learned that all six students passed, including Kevin who scored highest among all his peers at Rising Academy.
On November 9th, The Orphan Empowerment Society (TOES) of Sierra Leone invited The Raining Season to participate in their Solidarity Walk for Orphans through the streets of Freetown. The event coincided with World Orphans Day. The event brought together people from all walks of life with the mission to raise awareness and support for orphans in need. Participants gathered together, wore t-shirts, and carried signs sharing messages of hope for orphaned children.
In late November, staff and children from The Raining Season were invited to attend the 6th annual Humanitarian Goodwill Awards put on by The Orphan Empowerment Society (TOES) at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown. At the dinner, children from TRS were invited to perform a song. The Raining Season was also a recipient of a Humanitarian Goodwill Award recognizing TRS’s exemplary efforts and impactful contributions to humanitarian work and contribution to the social and economic development of Sierra Leone. It was an honor for TRS to receive the award and to see other organizations doing great things in Sierra Leone.
The Raining Season ended 2024 with its annual Christmas celebration in December. Once again, an amazing group of sponsors went above and beyond to generously donate the funds needed to put on a special Christmas party. The party included Christmas decorations, a delicious meal, and dancing! All of the children received new African dress clothes and shoes. For the first time, our children who attend school outside the center were each able to invite a friend from school to join in the fun. The young adults who have been reunified were also invited to join the celebration.
Thank you for being part of our story in 2024. We are looking forward to watching the children continue to flourish and continue our mission in 2025. Thank you for your support all through the year!
Many blessings,
The Raining Season